Current rectifying system and apparatus



Feb. 16, 1932. A. s. HUBBARD 1,845,151

CURRENT RECTIF YING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 El EL A Di,

gjwowntoz Alb erf 5'. Hubbard Feb.l6, 1932. A. s. HUBBARD CURRENT RECTIFYING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m GE gave n Tot Alber/ 5'. Hubbard Patented .Feb. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 41mm 8. OI TESL, OONNIGHCUT, ABSIGNOB, BY- ABSIGWTS, TO GOULD STORAGE BATTERY CORPORATION, OI DEPEW, NEW YORK, A OOBPORAe non or'nmwm e era-rm: aim mm'rus Application ma m a, me. sum Io. 300,901.

The invention relates to systems for'the rectification of alternating current and has for its general object the provision-of a novel arran ment of apparatus and circuits 5 where y direct current at difierent desired voltages may be obtained from an alternating current supply. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a current rectifying or converting sysm tern -embodyingltransformers so arranged as to utilize both alves of the alternating current wave for producing a pulsating direct current without great loss, it being also a feature to rovide filter means in the output for smoothing out the ri ples so that the current will be constant and uniform and therefore suitable for the operation of radio a paratus or the like where a current of this type is necessary.

9 Another important object of the invention is to provide a system of this character embodying transformers havin divided secondaries with which are associated and connected rectifiers, the arrangement conse-' s5 quently consisting of a plurality of units whereby current of difierent voltages may be obtained. v f Another object is to subdivide the recti ing' or converting means so as to limit t e ao-vo tage strains imposed on the units of such rectifyin or converting means.

A further object of the invention is to pro- .vide a system'including apparatus adjusted to the voltage of the primary supply and to permit of adjusting the value of the converted current and voltage to the said devices supplied by such converted currents and volt- An additional object of the invention is to provide a system and apparatus to this character which will be simple and inexpensive to ble or install, positive in action, easy to control or adjust, eflicient in service, and

4s a general improvement in the art.

.To the attainment of the foregoing and other ob'ects and advantages, the invention preferab y consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination so of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and-claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 4

Figure 1 is avdiagram showing one form of the invention and a Figure 2 is a diagram'illustrating a modification. v

Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, and especially Figure 1, the letters A and A are the cores of two transformers having primary coils B and B which are 00 connected in series with each other and with an alternating current source G through an adjusting rheostat X which may be of the manually controlled type and which may have a high positive temperature coefiicient. u The purpose of this rheostat is to adjust the outfit to the value of the voltage supplied by source C, the high positive temperature 00- eflicient resistance making such adjustment semi-automatic. ondaries D, D, D and D, and the other has secondaries d, d, d and d. The secondaries of the two sets are connected each in opposition as shown, andconnected across the respective secondaries are recitfiers Y, 7; Y, Y, Y, Y, YflY' and Y. It will be seen that these rectifiers are connected to the corresponding secondaries in pairs in such manner that one rectifier of each air short circuits the corresponding secon ary h in one transformer durin one half of the alternating current c cle w ile the other rectifier of each pair s ort circuits the corre- (siponding seconda of the other transformer uring the other alf of the cycle, this ar-: g; rangement plermittin uni-directional current to be 0 tained rom each pair of rectifiers and the corresponding secondaries to which the air is connected, as indicated in my prior directional currents so obtained from D, d, D, d*, D and d are connected in series.

Taps may be taken out from intermediate v pomts in the series to obtain the desired diferent voltages, for exam 1e for supplying sad the plate voltages for the etector, radio frequency and amplifier tubes of a radio such taps being indicated in the drawings by appro riate legends. When the, system is I used or this purpose, it is necessary to pro in One transformer has secatent No. 1,160,610. The unino vide a filtering means to smooth out the ripples in the pulsating and uni-directional our- 7 rent passing to the tubes and this filterin means may comprise an inductance H an a pluralit of condensers M M M, M, M and ll/ the' inductance being located in series in the negative lead and the various condensers being shunted across from the negative lead to the different positive leads as clearly indicated. A rheostat X may be connected between the negative lead and the tap for the detector tube voltage to permit obtaining fine graduations of voltage to be applied to the detector tube, and a condenser M is provided to by-pass the tube.

The secondaries D and d are, as mentioned above, connected in opposition in the same manner as the other corresponding secondaries, but their uni-directional current out ut is passed through and dissipated in a rl eostat X the urpose of this arran ement being to provlde for adjustment of e um uni-directional out uts from the other secondary-rectifier com inations, the rheostat X causing more or less of the energy available from the transformers to be diverted, depending on the amount of resistance included in the circuit.

A somewhat similar divertin efiect may be obtained by omitting the rectifiers Y and Y and connecting l3 and d in series instead of in opposition, and with the circuit closed through X This slight variation is illustrated in Figure 2.

Another feature is that one or more of the corresponding secondaries may be tapped or sectionalized and switches S and S provided to include fewer or more turns in the circuit, thereby providing individual adjustment of the various voltages. These switches S and S are shown only in association with the secondaries D and 03 though it will be understood that they may be provided for each pair of secondaries if such is found advisable or convenient.

In Figure 2 I have shown identically the same apparatus referred to by the same reference characters, theonly difierence, in addition to the arrangement of the secondaries D and d in. series with their rectificrs Y and Y? omitted, being a slight variation in the connections between the secondaries and the output terminals. The operation is likewise the same.

It is conceivable that several other variations might be resorted to without changing the broad principle involved or the action but it is thought to be unnecessary to illustrate all conceivable modifications. 7

There is intended to be no particular limitation as to the rectifying means employed as it may be of the wet, (I or gaseous tube type. The exact nature of t e windings of the primary and secondary coils of the transformers must necessarily depend upon the input voltage and the desired output voltage and current. The capacity of the various condensers is likewise a matter to be determined either by test or computation and the same is true of the value of the inductance in the negative lead in the output circuit.

From the foregoing description and a stud of the drawings it will be apparent that have thus provided a novel system and a paratus whereby alternating current may converted or transformed and rectified for supplying direct current for many uses. In some instances it might not be necessary to provide the filter circuit com rising the condensers M to M and the in uctance but these are illustrated and described as the 's'ys tem is well adapted for employment in con nection' with the energization of the tubes a radio apparatus. Another int is that the voltages may be separate that is for instance the uni-directional voltage obtain able from corresponding secondaries and their rectifiers ma be disconnected from the uni-directional vo tages obtainable from the other secondaries and associated rectifiers and. used for a different purpose. By arran mg the secondaries in opposition and provi g the pair of rectifiers for each an of opposed secondaries, it is clear that 0th halves of the alternating current wave are utilized, this feature avoiding waste of current and also tending to make the output more constant as well as simplifying the filter system necessary to smooth out the ripples The employment of the rhecstat X in series with the secondaries D and d and their nectifiers Y and Y is an important feature as it provides an adjustment of the maximum unidirectional outputs from the other seconda and rectifier combinations. Actual experimentation has demonstrated that the system is unusually eflicient for the purpose specified. It is believed that the arran ement, operation and advantages will be read\ parent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

'ly ap- While I have shown and described pre- 1. In a current rectifying system, separate transformers having their primaries connected in series with an alternating current source, the transformers having divided secondary coils connected respectively in opposed series relation, a rectifier shunted across reuse:

each secondary of each transformer, and a rheostat interposed in series with two of the secondary divisions for dissipating the energy whereby to provide for adjustment of the maximum uni-directional outputs from the other secondary divisions.

2. In a current rectifying s stem, the combination of separate trans ormers having primary coils connected in series with an alternating current source through a variable resistance, each transformer having a lurality of secondary coils, the correspon ing secondary coils of the res tive transformers being connected in opposition, a rectifier connected across each seconda of each transformer, the opposed pairs 0 secondaries bei connected in series, whereb said rectifiers w I operate to produce a uni 'rectional current utilizing both halves of the alternating current waves, and means for dissipating the ener output from a pair of the opposed secon aries for adjusting the maximum unidirectional outpuls from the other secondaryrectifier combinations.

3. In a current rectifying system, separate transformers having their primaries connected in series with an alternating current source, the transformers having divided secondaries, certain of the corresponding secondary divisions being connected in series with each other in opposing relation, a rectifier shunted across each of said opposed secondary divisions, certain other 0 the corre- Zgondmg secondary divisions be' connectin series in aiding relation, an variable resistance means interposed in said last named connection for dissipating the energy to provide for adjustment of the maximum uni-directional outputs from the opposed sec-' ondary divisions.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

ALBERT S. BARD. 

